Chelsea 2 Arsenal 1: Walcott dash of brilliance eclipsed as Drogba makes experience tell

There will have been many supporters yesterday morning, marooned on the M4, or waiting in limbo on what used to be the Great Western Railway, wondering whether this match could be worth the journey. Improbably, it was. Cardiff's final final (probably), had everything a football fan could wish for.

The Carling Cup final also threatened to be overshadowed by something no one would desire, a serious injury. In the 57th minute John Terry swallowed his tongue and turned blue after being accidentally kicked in the throat by Abou Diaby attempting a header.

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The England captain was carried off on a stretcher, his neck in a brace, his face in an oxygen mask, then rushed to hospital. There, thankfully, he proved no more than shaken, and was able to return to the stadium, though not in time to collect the cup.

Chelsea could thus happily celebrate their fifth trophy under Jose Mourinho. It was secured through two Didier Drogba goals following an opening 20 minutes in which Arsenal's young tiros had threatened to embarrass them.

In that spell, Theo Walcott scored his first goal for Arsenal, thus becoming the second youngest man to score in a domestic final. Drogba's first goal changed the mood of the game; his second was the prelude to an extraordinary conclusion. Kolo Touré, angered by a foul from John Obi Mikel, turned on the teenager, prompting a mass brawl which drew both managers on to the pitch. When the dust had settled, the referee Howard Webb sent off both men, Mikel seeing red for the second time this season, and Emmanuel Adebayor. There had only been three dismissals in the previous 46 finals.

While the travel difficulties were enough to tempt fans into turning up at Wembley this morning, wearing hardhats and offering to help to finish the job, one re-construction project which is clearly going to plan is Arsène Wenger's at Arsenal. True to his word, the Frenchman stuck by the young men who had shown so much potential in reaching this final, sending out a team with an average age of 21. Chelsea, by contrast, were at their strongest, Terry's swift recovery enabling them to field the same team that played in Porto in the Champions League.

Yet the opening stages were like a scene from Kindergarten Cop, the movie in which Arnold Schwarzenegger's hardline policeman goes undercover in a nursery school and gets the run-around from the kids. Their lack of fear was immediately evident as they took the game to Chelsea as if it was a schoolyard kickaround.

Petr Cech was tested by Cesc Fabregas, stretched by Julio Baptista, and worried by Jérémie Aliadière within the opening 11 minutes. Then Arsenal won a corner. They failed to threaten from set pieces throughout the game but Chelsea only half-cleared this one. Walcott played a one-two with Baptista and, having glided between Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, curled a shot past Cech. He was the youngest scorer since Norman Whiteside for Manchester United against Liverpool in the 1983 Milk Cup final.

Chelsea were bewildered. Terry, in particular, looked manifestly short of training and fitness and needed Carvalho to cover him.

Then Arsenal suffered a momentary lapse of concentration of the sort to be expected from a young team. Drogba was allowed to drift unmarked behind Armand Traoré and Michael Ballack, in his only significant intervention of the afternoon, found him with a chipped pass. The Ivorian, perhaps marginally played onside by Philippe Senderos, a view Wenger contested, scored with aplomb.

The goal enabled Chelsea to regain their poise. Though not looking like champions they, subdued Arsenal's vibrant youth until the break. Mourinho then withdrew Claude Makelele, bringing on Arjen Robben and moving to 4-1-2-3 with Robben and Andrei Shevchenko playing off Drogba.

There was no immediate improvement but, as the game opened out, Chelsea became more penetrative with Robben running at Arsenal's defenders in the way Denilson, Aliadière, Baptista and others had run at his team. The dribbling was one of the most attractive features of the game, and a reason for Webb having to book five players even before the late fracas.

As the game picked up pace Diaby, Fabregas and Robben all went close. Then came Terry's worrying injury. Gary Lewin, the Arsenal and England physio, was first to him and it was immediately clear there was cause for concern, prompting Steve McClaren, the England manager, to leave his seat to check on his captain. In the event, assuming he is cleared by a neurologist, Terry should play at Fratton Park on Saturday.

After his departure, Michael Essien dropped into central defence but it was Arsenal who seemed most unsettled by the incident - in part because Diaby also suffered injury, to his ankle. Drogba eased behind Senderos but was denied by Manuel Almunia and Frank Lampard hit the bar from 30 yards. Then, after Touré missed a free header at a corner, Denilson lost possession, Chelsea worked the ball to Robben and Drogba rose ahead of his "bunny", Senderos, to head his 28th goal of this prolific season.

Three minutes later Shevchenko could have settled the game from Drogba's lay-off but shivered the bar. Arsenal's frustration erupted when Mikel pulled back Touré. The two traded punches, Fabregas and Lampard piled in, then suddenly everyone was involved, even the managers. In the mêlée Wenger argued with Steve Clarke, the Chelsea coach, and Emmanuel Eboué appeared to floor Wayne Bridge. Eboué could face punishment by video evidence, as might both clubs. "I am worried the FA will look into this," admitted Wenger. Mourinho described it as "a pity".

It is, in that it clouds the bigger picture which is that Chelsea's indomitable will remains fierce, as does their manager's: he pointedly held up four fingers and a thumb to the directors box, signifying the five trophies (including the Community Shield) he has won at Chelsea. He is also yet to lose to Wenger, but the Arsenal manager can take great consolation from the quality of his young footballers. Cardiff had a glimpse yesterday, of Wembley's future.

Goals: Walcott (13) 1-0; Drogba (20) 1-1; Drogba (84) 1-2.

Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Cech; Diarra, Carvalho, Terry (Mikel, 63), Bridge; Makelele (Robben, h/t); Essien, Ballack, Lampard; Shevchenko (Kalou, 90), Drogba. Substitutes not used: A Cole, Hilario (gk).

Arsenal (4-4-1-1): Almunia; Hoyte, Touré, Senderos, Traoré (Eboué, 66); Walcott, Fabregas, Denilson, Diaby (Hleb, 68); Baptista; Aliadière (Adebayor, 80). Substitutes not used: Djourou, Poom (gk).

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).

Booked: Arsenal: Denilson, Eboue, Fabregas. Chelsea: Essien, Carvalho, Diarra, Lampard.

Sent off: Touré (90), Adebayor (90), Mikel (90).

Man of the match: Drogba.

Attendance: 70, 073.

Wenger's boys: The ages of the teams at the Millennium Stadium

* ARSENAL Manuel Almunia 29

Justin Hoyte 22

Kolo Touré 25

Philippe Senderos 22

Armand Traoré 17

Theo Walcott 17

Cesc Fabregas 19

Denilson 19

Abou Diaby 20

Jérémie Aliadière 23

Julio Baptista 25

Average age 21.6

* CHELSEA Petr Cech 24

Lassana Diarra 21

John Terry 26

Ricardo Carvalho 28

Wayne Bridge 26

Claude Makelele 34

Frank Lampard 28

Michael Ballack 30

Michael Essien 24

Andrei Shevchenko 30

Didier Drogba 28

Average age 27.1

Man-for-man marking at the Millennium Stadium by Jason Burt

Arsenal

* MANUEL ALMUNIA

Could have done better with Drogba's first goal and not a commanding presence. 6/10

* JUSTIN HOYTE

Held his position well and tried to support Walcott. An increasingly assured first-team performer. 6/10

* KOLO TOURE

Used his speed to snuff out Chelsea's attacks and had a great opportunity with a second-half header - before completely losing his head in the brawl at the end. 5/10

* PHILIPPE SENDEROS

Once again appeared unsteady when faced with his nemesis, Didier Drogba. Once again at fault for the goals. Appeared unsure and ponderous. 4/10

* ARMAND TRAORE

Often left exposed as Chelsea probed but made some swift recovery tackles. 6/10

* DENILSON

Rightly punished for rash challenges but also caught the eye with some raking passes and great link-up play. 6/10

* ABOU DIABY

A willing runner, he caused problems with breaks before limping off after being hurt in the challenge on Terry. 7/10

* CESC FABREGAS

Once again linked play wonderfully at times, prompting from midfield and joining the attack. 8/10

* THEO WALCOTT

Took his goal wonderfully well but had a maddening habit of drifting out of the game despite his pace. 6/10

* JULIO BAPTISTA

A constant, physical threat with his power and directness especially in the first half when he ran riot. 7/10

* JEREMIE ALIADIERE

A clever, willing runner although he fell away in the second half before being replaced. 6/10

SUBSTITUTES

* EMMANUEL EBOUE (for Traoré, 67) Exposed by Robben. Appalling involvement in brawl. 3/10

* ALEXANDER HLEB (for Diaby, 69) Brought on to add guile but struggled to get involved. 5/10

* EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR (for Aliadière, 81) made little impact - apart from wrongly being given red card. 4/10

Chelsea

* PETR CECH

A fine save to deny Julio Baptista early on followed by an assured display. 7/10

* LASSANA DIARRA

Appeared to be what he is - a young midfielder playing at right-back. Didn't hold his position well but got stronger as the game went on. 5/10

* RICARDO CARVALHO

A couple of brilliant last-ditch tackles. A strong, commanding presence, he held the Chelsea defence together. 8/10

* JOHN TERRY

Made surprise return but simply didn't look fit. Uncomfortable afternoon made worse by horrific-looking injury, although made full recovery. 5/10

* WAYNE BRIDGE

Didn't provide any forward threat and struggled to contain Walcott's pace. Also involved in brawl at end. 4/10

* CLAUDE MAKELELE

Substituted at half-time but had appeared one of Chelsea's better performers in a patchy 45 minutes. 6/10

* MICHAEL ESSIEN

Full of running, full of energy and, once more, showed his adaptability by playing in three different positions. 7/10

* MICHAEL BALLACK

Not quite so much a stroller as usual. Helped make Drogba's first goal but still didn't impose himself. 6/10

* FRANK LAMPARD

As ever Chelsea looked to him to help haul them back into the contest. Desperately unlucky to hit bar with vicious shot from distance. 7/10

* ANDREI SHEVCHENKO

Two early touches set the tone. Both times he ran the ball out of play. Unfortunate with shot that hit the bar. 6/10

* DIDIER DROGBA

Scored with aplomb in first half and struck an even more accomplished winner. Outstanding display. 9/10

SUBSTITUTES

* ARJEN ROBBEN (for Makelele h/t) Great run and cross for Drogba's winner. Made a significant difference in attack. 7/10

* JOHN OBI MIKEL (for Terry, 63) Had used the ball well but overshadowed by disgraceful involvement in brawl at the end. 3/10